Winter
by eghoul
Summary: It's wintertime and Peter is struggling to make ends meet after Aunt May dies. But he's doing all in his power to keep up his responsibilities as a student, photographer, boyfriend, and vigilante... but things get more complicated when Tony Stark finds a homeless genius and gives him a place to stay.
1. Goodbye

CHAPTER ONE: GOODBYE

NOVEMBER

PETER POV

Contrary to what you might think, I don't hate hospitals. People usually associate hospitals with terrible things that have happened to them and/or their loved ones throughout their lives. But my parents died in a plane crash; my uncle was shot and died in my arms; and although I get injured a lot, I can't go to the hospital, for obvious reasons. Even before I started moonlighting as a vigilante, I never had broken bone as a child or had to get my appendix out or anything like that.

So yeah, hospitals and I don't interact often. Nevertheless, that's where this story begins.

It was only a three weeks ago when Aunt May told me, but apparently she'd known for months. Cancer. She opted out of treatment because since it was in such a late stage, the chances of going through the torture of chemotherapy would only give her a fraction of a percentage that she _might_ get a couple more months. And Aunt May has never one to drag things out unnecessarily. The night she told me, she cooked me all my favorites for dinner, but I was late. Two hours late to be exact, caught up with goblin-related things.

 _"Sorry I'm late Aunt May! But look I got the milk!" As I round the corner I see the table packed with mac and cheese, pancakes, orange soda, and watermelon (though that looked sort of brown because it's not the season). I slow down and put the milk on the counter. "What's all this?"_

 _She's sitting at the table and sets down a book she was reading as she waited patiently for me. Smiling, she motions for me to sit, and I do. "I haven't made you pancakes for dinner a while, now have I?" She smiles, "And thank you for the milk, you're such a good boy"._

 _I frown, something seems off. "Is everything ok, Aunt May?" I ask, shoving an entire pancake in my mouth._

 _"Smaller bites please Peter," I shrug as I swallow and she chuckles. "Oh well, I guess it is time that I told you…"_

She was always thinking of me: making all my favorite foods, waiting to tell me to protect me from the truth. And how have I repaid her? I lie to her constantly, I'm always home late and worrying her, and now I don't even have enough money to buy flowers for her bedside. She's in so much pain, I can tell, even though she won't show it. It's really bad now, she can't get up from the hospital bed or eat without me helping her. Every breath sounds strained. Today, the doctor told me that he doesn't think she'll make it through the night.

We sit quietly, my hand on top of hers.

"Peter," she whispers. My head snaps up immediately, giving her all my attention.

"Yes, Aunt May?"

"I think that it's going to be time soon," she says, not looking sad or angry at all.

My hand tightens around hers, "Please don't say that."

The edges of her lips curl, "It's ok sweetie, I'm going to be with Ben… and your parents." She sees me flinch, "I think of you as my own son, and I hope that I've been the mother to you that Mary would have wanted—"

"You are Aunt May!" I reassure her.

"I'm so proud of the young man you've turned into . Your smart, kind, and generous, and I'm going to tell everybody all about it when I get to Heaven." We were never religious, but I think she says this to make less upset. I can't help but frown, she thinks so highly of me even though I lie and disappoint her time and time again. Aunt May looks deeply at my expression. "Oh Peter, I know that you think everything is always your fault, but you don't have to carry all these burdens. It's ok to just move on."

I nod, but have my eyes pointed at the ground, not able to look at her any longer.

"This is just my time, please don't blame yourself. You can't save everyone… Spidey."

My head whips up and my eyes widen.

"What— ? How— ?" She's smirking, but there is an exhausted look in eyes that urge me to take a gently tone. "I… I'm sorry. I never meant—"

She holds up a hand, "Peter, I love you."

I choke back a sob, unsure why I'm not quite able to shed real tears. "I love you too, Aunt May."

* * *

It's 11 PM. I walk through Forest Hills slowly. It's cold, but I decided to walk all the way home. No subway, no taxi, no web swinging. Maybe I'm not thinking straight, but I stepped out of the hospital and couldn't do anything but put one foot in front of the other… for two hours until I found myself in front our house.

I stand outside the front door, key in hand. I feel my phone vibrating in my pocket and pull it out to see the screen illuminated with Gwen's face. I pick up but don't say anything.

"Peter? Are you there?"

"Yeah I'm here."

"Are you okay? How's May?"

I twiddle the house key in my hand, contemplating putting it in the lock. "She died."

I hear her sniffle on the end, "Oh my god, Peter I'm so sorry. Please, come stay at my place tonight."

I pocket the key, delaying the inevitable, and turn around. "Okay, I'm on my way."

* * *

 **YO! I'm back writing a story after 3 years. Just an idea that I wanted to play with. Leave me a comment if you remember me from back then or have read my other stories that I wrote back when I was in high school (now I'm college). Thanks for reading.**


	2. Back in Action

CHAPTER TWO: BACK IN ACTION

DECEMBER

PETER POV

It's been two weeks since Aunt May died. I've been going to school everyday, hanging out with Gwen. Besides the first night, I've been staying at home by myself. Unfortunately, last week the electric bill was due, so the company turned off my heat and lights. Tomorrow is when the monthly rent is due, so I imagine I'll be getting a lovely eviction notice soon. I haven't told Gwen any of this, she doesn't know how much debt Aunt May was in. Meanwhile, I only make about $200 a month from the Daily Bugle, which is just enough to pay for my cell phone bill, and a very limited food supply.

I've been trying my best to act normal. I try not to think about Aunt May too much since she told me she wanted me to move on. But there's something that I can't bring myself to do.

 _"You can't save everyone, Spidey."_

I haven't been Spider-Man for two weeks, and people are starting to notice. J. Jonah Jameson wrote a column saying that he hopes this absence is permanent, while also subtly taking personal credit for driving me away. I know that it's not for good, I just haven't been up for it. Of course, I've been tracking the police scanners through my phone and there hasn't been a lot of criminal activity, which helps. Yes, I've hacked the police scanners and made it into an app on my phone, don't judge me.

Anyway, I don't know what villain is gonna strike next, and I can only hope I'll have the my energy up enough to face them. I know that cancer can't be punched or webbed, but I still wonder if I could have saved her. If I had noticed sooner I could have scraped together the money to get her better treatment. No matter what, she's still just another addition to the long list of casualties in Spider-Man's life… or is it Peter Parker's?

"Mr. Parker?!"

I turn from my gaze out the window to see my math teacher tapping his foot.

"Would you care to answer?"

My face turns red, "Oh um… what was the question again?" the class snicker and Gwen just sighs from the desk next me. The teacher frowns and a little bit aggressively points to the long equation on the chalkboard. I read it in an instant, "Oh. X=9.5 and Y= -7."

He shakes his head, "Peter Parker, you are by far the most frustrating and the most genius student I've ever taught."

From behind me, Flash elbows me in the head, "He's basically saying you're a deadbeat Einstein, Parker."

I lean back and whisper, "Meanwhile you're justa deadbeat."

My spidey sense flares just as I feel Flash's fist connect with my face. Gasps and laughter and screaming erupts in the classroom as Gwen rushes to my side. "FLASH! What is wrong with you?!" She scolds. "Peter, are you okay?" The teacher is also yelling something.

"Yeah I'm fine," I groan. Giving my girlfriend the _I've-had-worse-look_ with a smirk which makes her roll her eyes.

Flash has already gotten out of his seat and swaggers toward the door, the teacher eyes him then looks over at me, "You too Mr. Parker. Principle's office."

"But—" He gives me a glare and I annoyingly stand, a hand pressed to the side of my face to seem like I'm in more pain that I am.

As I pass by he says, "It's time you start taking your intelligence seriously, Peter."

* * *

So I didn't end up getting detention. Flash got off with a warning since he said that I provoked him. Smartass.

Anyway, I'm sitting with Gwen in her apartment, doing our homework.

"Petey?"

"Hm…?" I mumble as I type an English paper.

"When do you think you're gonna get back to… you know… being Spider-man?"

I glance up. "Uh… I don't know, soon."

"I think it'd be good for you, to back in the swing of things, no pun intended," she runs a hand down my back and I stop typing. "You know you haven't taken me swinging in a while, now that I think about it. What do you say? You don't have to fight crime or anything, lets just have some fun."

I scoff, "Is little miss Gwen Stacy asking me to abuse my powers to take her on a joy ride?"

She rolls her eyes but also sneaks closer to me, "Come on, I'm not so innocent." Dangerously close, she wraps her arms around my neck and kisses me.

"How about…" I clean my books off the bed and wink, "we just have fun in here instead."

And with that, Gwen laughs and jumps up, "Nope! Tonight I wanna swing."

I shrug, defeated, and throw on my costume from my backpack. Meanwhile Gwen puts on a white and pink hoodie and pink sunglasses. I laugh, "What the hell are you wearing?"

"It's a disguise so that no one recognizes me."

God she's cute. "Whatever you say Spider-Gwen."

* * *

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Gwen screams in my ear as we swing and flip over Soho.

My ears are ringing, "I don't think they quite heard you in the Bronx, babe."

She laughs nervously and clings even tighter around my neck, "Sorry, I just forgot how scary this is."

"Yeah me to," I reply, "I love it."

She looks at me (which sort of looks silly in her bright pink sunglasses), "I'm glad."

Soon Gwen starts shivering, and I realize how cold it is. It's winter and not to mention that we are hundreds of feet up swinging so the wind is merciless. So, I turn around and start to head back towards her apartment building.

"Peter do I ever tell you how sexy you are when you're Spider-Man," she giggles.

"I think I could stand to hear it more."

"Well maybe tonight you should keep the costume on…"

"HA. Oh _now_ you want some Peter love," I mock.

We land on her roof and she detangles herself from me. I lift up my mask above my mouth and give her a kiss. She looks up at me, "What do ya say, Petey."

My spider sense goes off and I pick up the sound of a women's high pitched scream a couple streets away. "Actually, now that I'm back in the swing of things, I thinks it's time I get back to work," I say excitedly.

Gwen sighs, "I guess that's good too."

I smirk, then pull my mask by down and start running toward the edge of the roof. "Thanks babe, you're the best."

She turns around and waves me away, "Yeah, yeah."

And with that, I dive off the skyscraper. I'm back.


End file.
